This content originally appeared on TPGi and was authored by Melissa Morse
Creating truly inclusive digital experiences means ensuring that every user — regardless of their ability — can engage meaningfully with your product. As organizations refine their accessibility programs, understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) can guide effective strategies and highlight areas for improvement.
We recently spoke with TPGi’s Director of Sales, Mark Miller, an expert in digital accessibility, to uncover steps you can take to mature your accessibility program, involving several key stages, components, and strategic considerations.
Securing Executive Buy-In for Accessibility: Craft a Compelling Business Case
For executives stepping into accessibility for the first time, gaining buy-in from other leaders and stakeholders can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. The journey begins with presenting a robust business case for accessibility. As Miller highlights, it is essential to connect accessibility with broader organizational goals.
“Executives should demonstrate how accessibility improvements align with business objectives, such as enhancing customer satisfaction, expanding market reach, and mitigating legal risks,” says Miller.
By framing accessibility as a strategic asset rather than just a compliance issue, leaders can appeal to the broader interests of the organization. Miller suggests using data and case studies to illustrate the tangible benefits that other companies have realized through their accessibility initiatives.
Key Stages for Maturing Your Accessibility Program
Once you get buy-in, you’ll then take a multi-prong approach to effectively mature your accessibility program.
1. Initial Assessment and Goal Setting
In the early stages, focus on understanding where you stand and where you need to go. Start with a thorough baseline audit to identify existing barriers and establish a clear picture of your current accessibility landscape. From there, setting precise, actionable goals becomes essential.
As Miller emphasizes, these objectives should be specific and measurable, designed to tackle the most significant barriers first. Then, develop a strategic roadmap — a detailed plan outlining how to address these goals, including resource allocation and timelines.
2. Implementing Changes and Building an Accessibility Infrastructure
Once your goals are set, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. The implementation phase is where the real transformation happens. Addressing your accessibility findings involves remediation efforts, which might include improving design and code.
Equally important is building the internal infrastructure to support these changes. This means developing or hiring dedicated accessibility teams, investing in staff training, and embedding accessibility checks into the development lifecycle. According to Miller, integrating accessibility from the ground up ensures that it becomes a core part of your development process rather than an afterthought.
Additionally, partnering with an experienced accessibility consultant can provide ongoing expertise and support, helping to navigate complex regulations and ensure that your efforts remain aligned with the latest standards.
3. Building a Culture of Accessibility
As the technical aspects of accessibility begin to take shape, the focus shifts to fostering an inclusive culture within the organization. Leadership support plays a pivotal role here.
Gaining active endorsement from the top helps drive accessibility initiatives and embed them into the organization’s core values. It is essential to engage and educate staff about accessibility issues.
Miller suggests creating forums for discussion and actively encouraging participation in accessibility initiatives. He also highlights the value of involving individuals with disabilities in the decision-making process. Their firsthand experiences are invaluable for understanding and addressing accessibility challenges.
4. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
Maturity in an accessibility program is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing commitment. Continuous monitoring and improvement are vital to maintaining and enhancing accessibility. Regular audits help identify new issues and ensure that previous improvements are upheld.
Automated Testing and Manual Audits for Continuous Monitoring
As Miller mentioned, one of the key stages for maturing your accessibility program was by continuously monitoring and improving your program. You do this by using data and analytics from accessibility tools to provide insights for making informed, data-driven decisions.
When conducting regular website or digital application audits, automated testing can quickly spot accessibility issues. However, it only captures about 30-40% of potential problems.
“While this method is valuable for its cost-effectiveness and regularity, it should not be your sole approach,” Miller adds. “Automated tools help track and manage issues but should be complemented by manual reviews to ensure a thorough evaluation.”
“A website with fewer automated issues may face a lower risk of legal challenges, though it does not eliminate the possibility,” he says. This is why Miller suggests that you conduct automated testing to get a baseline, first, and then use that in conjunction with manual audits for an accurate picture.
5. Future-Proofing the Program
Finally, preparing for the future is key to sustaining the success of your accessibility program. Adopting a maturity model helps track progress and make strategic adjustments over time. Keeping an eye on emerging trends — such as advancements in AI or new guidelines from organizations like the W3C — allows for proactive adaptation.
As Miller notes, “Future-proofing your program is about staying ahead of the curve, so that your program remains relevant and effective.”
Defining Success: Key Metrics for Accessibility Programs
When evaluating the effectiveness of accessibility initiatives, Miller emphasizes the importance of addressing key metrics, like what he calls “substantial conformance.”
This metric involves removing significant barriers within critical user flows of a product. Miller likens these barriers to an oak tree blocking a road. Just as you cannot drive past a fallen oak tree, users cannot navigate digital products if critical accessibility issues remain unresolved.
For instance, if interactive controls exist but they are custom-made — as in non-native link or button controls — and the developer has not made them keyboard-operable, for some users this is absolutely a deal-breaker with no workaround. In our audits, these are always indicated as “Critical.”
The other metric Miller says you should track are the number of accessibility issues detected through automated scans. Monitoring the frequency and severity of these detected issues helps organizations gauge their progress and identify areas needing further attention.
A higher number of detected issues can indicate more thorough scanning and an opportunity to address potential vulnerabilities before they become critical barriers.
While metrics like substantial conformance and automated issue detection are essential, they are part of a broader strategy for long-term success.
Looking to make accessibility a core part of your organization’s growth? Join Mark Miller on September 25 for expert insights that will help you transform accessibility from a one-time project into a sustainable, organization-wide initiative. Register today to move beyond compliance and create lasting impact!
Start and Mature Your Accessibility Efforts with TPGi as a Service
Executives must encourage a culture that values accessibility, engage with passionate team members, and stay vigilant about evolving standards and technologies. This comprehensive approach not only drives immediate improvements but also secures the long-term sustainability of accessibility efforts, ensuring that digital products remain inclusive and accessible as they evolve.
To support this ongoing journey, TPGi as a Service (TaaS) offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to accessibility management. With TaaS, you gain access to expert guidance, innovative tools, and a robust support system guaranteed to elevate your accessibility program to new heights.
Embrace TaaS and navigate the complexities of accessibility with confidence to create truly inclusive digital experiences. Speak to a rep to learn more.
The post Maturing Your Accessibility Program: KPIs and Strategies for Success appeared first on TPGi.
This content originally appeared on TPGi and was authored by Melissa Morse
Melissa Morse | Sciencx (2024-09-10T12:26:49+00:00) Maturing Your Accessibility Program: KPIs and Strategies for Success. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/09/10/maturing-your-accessibility-program-kpis-and-strategies-for-success/
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